Muscle Fascicles Exhibit Limited Passive Elongation Throughout the Rehabilitation of Achilles Tendon Rupture After Percutaneous Repair

Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) results in long-term functional and structural deficits, characterized by reduced ankle mobility and plantarflexor muscle atrophy. However, it remains unclear how such functional impairments develop after surgical repair. While it is known that this injury negatively affects the tendon's function, to date, limited work has focused on the short-term effect of ATR on the structure of the muscles in series. The aim of this study was to characterize changes in medial gastrocnemius architecture and its response to passive lengthening during the post-surgical rehabilitative period following ATR. Both injured and contralateral limbs from 10 subjects (1 female, BMI: 27.2 ± 3.9 kg/m2; age: 46 ± 10 years) with acute, unilateral ATR were assessed at 8, 12, and 16 weeks after percutaneous surgical repair. To characterize the component tissues of the muscle-tendon unit, resting medial gastrocnemius muscle thickness, fascicle length, and pennation angle were determined from ultrasound images with the ankle in both maximal plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. The ankle range of motion (ROM) was determined using motion capture; combined ultrasound and motion capture determined the relative displacement of the musculotendinous junction (MTJ) of the AT with the medial gastrocnemius. The ATR-injured gastrocnemius muscle consistently exhibited lower thickness, regardless of time point and ankle angle. Maximal ankle plantarflexion angles and corresponding fascicle lengths were lower on the injured ankle compared to the contralateral throughout rehabilitation. When normalized to the overall ankle ROM, both injured fascicles and MTJ displacement exhibited a comparably lower change in length when the ankle was passively rotated. These results indicate that when both ankles are passively exposed to the same ROM following ATR surgery, both ipsilateral Achilles tendon and gastrocnemius muscle fascicles exhibit limited lengthening compared to the contralateral MTU tissues. This appears to be consistent throughout the rehabilitation of gait, suggesting that current post-operative rehabilitative exercises do not appear to induce muscle adaptations in the affected MTU

Effect of tantalum substitution on dielectric constant of ZnSb2-xTaxO6 solid solution (x=0.0,0.1,0.25,0.75,1.6)

The electrical measurements of ZnSb2xTaxO6 phases with x = 0:0; 0:1; 0:25; 0:75; 1:6 have revealed insulating behavior with strongly decreasing electrical conductivity when tantalum x content is increased. As a consequence, high values of relative permittivity "r and loss tangent tan( ) were observed, that decreased with increase of temperature and frequencies, for samples with low Ta content, below x = 0:75. In turn, for samples richer in tantalum, "r reaches 14, and tan( ) becomes as low as 0.02 for x = 1:6. These effects have been interpreted either by the framework of the relaxation processes, or by the spatial charge polarization leading to the low energy loss of materials

Semiconducting properties of Cu5SbO6

Thermoelectric power, electrical resistivity, I V characteristics, relative electrical permittivity, dc magnetization and ac magnetic susceptibility measurements carried out on Cu5SbO6 showed p-type semiconducting behaviour with the activation energy of 0.24 eV as well as ferrimagnetic order with the Néel temperature of 5.2 K. The e ective magnetic moment of 5.857 B/f.u. revealed the orbital contribution to the magnetic moment. Large value of the relative electrical permittivity indicated that the Cu2+ ions with the unscreened and un lled electron shells are responsible for the polarizability and forming of electric dipoles

Compromised Bone Healing in Aged Rats Is Associated With Impaired M2 Macrophage Function

Fracture repair is initiated by a multitude of immune cells and induction of an inflammatory cascade. Alterations in the early healing response due to an aged adaptive immune system leads to impaired bone repair, delayed healing or even formation of non-union. However, immuno-senescence is not limited to the adaptive immunity, but is also described for macrophages, main effector cells from the innate immune system. Beside regulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory signaling, macrophages contribute to angiogenesis and granulation tissue maturation. Thus, it seems likely that an altered macrophage function due to aging may affect bone repair at various stages and contribute to age related deficiencies in bone regeneration. To prove this hypothesis, we analyzed the expression of macrophage markers and angiogenic factors in the early bone hematoma derived from young and aged osteotomized Spraque Dawley rats. We detected an overall reduced expression of the monocyte/pan-macrophage markers CD14 and CD68 in aged rats. Furthermore, the analysis revealed an impaired expression of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage markers in hematoma from aged animals that was connected to a diminished revascularization of the bone callus. To verify that the age related disturbed bone regeneration was due to a compromised macrophage function, CD14+ macrophage precursors were transplanted locally into the osteotomy gap of aged rats. Transplantation rescued bone regeneration partially after 6 weeks, demonstrated by a significantly induced deposition of new bone tissue, reduced fibrosis and significantly improved callus vascularization

Deriving Digital Energy Platform Archetypes for Manufacturing – A Data-Driven Clustering Approach

External factors such as climate change and the current energy crisis due to global conflicts are leading to the increasing relevance of energy consumption and energy procurement in the manufacturing industry. In addition to the growing call for sustainability, companies are increasingly struggling with rising energy costs and the reliability of the power grid, which endangers the competitiveness of companies and regions affected by high energy prices. Appropriate measures for energy-efficient and, not least, energy-flexible production are necessary. In addition to innovations and optimizations of plants and processes, digital energy platforms for the visualization, analysis, optimization, and control of energy flows are becoming essential. Over time, several digital energy platforms emerged on the market. The number and the different functionalities of the platforms make it challenging for classic manufacturing companies to keep track and select the right digital energy platform. In literature, the characteristics and functionalities of digital energy platforms have already been identified and structured. However, a classification of existing platforms into archetypes makes it easier for companies to select the platforms providing the missing functionality. To tackle this issue, we conducted an explorative and data-driven cluster analysis based on 49 existing digital energy platforms to identify digital energy platform archetypes and derive implications for research and practice. The results show five different archetypes that differ primarily in terms of functionalities on energy market integration. The identified archetypes provide a well-founded overview of the similarities and differences of digital energy platforms. Decision makers in manufacturing companies will benefit from the archetypes in future analyses as decision support in procurement processes and modifications of digital energy platforms

Structuring the Digital Energy Platform Jungle: Development of a Multi-Layer Taxonomy and Implications for Practice

Rising and volatile energy prices are forcing production companies to optimize their consumption patterns and reduce carbon emissions to remain competitive. Demand-side management (DSM) or energy flexibility (EF) is a promising option for the active management of electricity demand. With DSM, energy procurement costs can be effectively reduced, for example, by reducing peak loads and taking advantage of volatile energy prices. In addition, renewable energies can be better integrated to reduce carbon emissions while stabilizing the power grid. Although the benefits of DSM for production companies are well known, implementation is not yet widespread. A key barrier is the high requirements of IT systems and the associated effort and complexity involved in setting them up. Companies often lack appropriate IT systems or have historically grown systems that do not allow continuous communication from the machine to the energy market. A variety of different platforms promise solutions to address these challenges. However, when selecting platforms, it is often unclear which aspects and functionalities of a platform are relevant for a company’s specific application. To address this gap, we developed a multi-layer taxonomy of digital platforms for energy-related applications in the industry that includes a general, as well as a more specific data-centric and transaction-centric perspective. We develop, revise, and evaluate our taxonomy using insights from literature and analysis of 46 commercially available platforms or platforms developed through research projects. Based on our taxonomy, we derive implications for research and practice. Our results contribute to the descriptive knowledge of digital platforms in energy-related applications. Our taxonomy enables researchers and practitioners to classify such platforms and make informed decisions about their deployment

Immune Modulation to Enhance Bone Healing -A New Concept to Induce Bone Using Prostacyclin to Locally Modulate Immunity

Within an aging population, fracture incidences will rise and with the augmented risks of impaired healing the overall risk of delayed bone regeneration will substantially increase in elderly patients. Thus, new strategies to rescue fracture healing in the elderly are highly warranted. Modulating the initial inflammatory phase toward a reduced pro-inflammation launches new treatment options for delayed or impaired healing specifically in the elderly. Here, we evaluated the capacity of the prostacyclin analog Iloprost to modulate the inflammatory phase toward a pro-regenerative milieu using in vitro as well as in vivo model systems. In vitro, Iloprost administration led to a downregulation of potential unfavorable CD8+ cytotoxic T cells as well as their pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion profile. Furthermore, Iloprost increased the mineralization capacity of osteogenic induced mesenchymal stromal cells through both direct as well as indirect cues. In an in vivo approach, Iloprost, embedded in a biphasic fibrin scaffold, decreased the pro-inflammatory and simultaneously enhanced the anti-inflammatory phase thereby improving bone healing outcome. Overall, our presented data confirms a possible strategy to modulate the early inflammatory phase in aged individuals toward a physiological healing by a downregulation of an excessive pro-inflammation that otherwise would impair healing. Further confirmation in phase I/II trials, however, is needed to validate the concept in a broader clinical evaluation